Stand With Me
by painandsufferingandthefantasy
Summary: Broken, obedient, and dangerous; a Red courtesy of Operation Jamboree struggles to maintain what little piece of humanity she's got left. Now there's no one to give her orders, no one to protect her...and certainly no one to contain her flame. This will be an OC x Cole, sameOC x Clancy fic. Rating is for possible later material. Feedback is highly appreciated.
1. Chapter 1

Static... It filled every crevice of the air and room. It was like a dull roar of confusion and emotion. _White walls, white walls, white walls..._ This is how I knew it was time, they always played the dull static to keep me _docile_ right before they needed my services. The never ending smell of leather ceases to bother me as much when they do this. Instead, the sound of the static and its semi-calming effect have me rocking back and forth. As if on cue I could lightly catch the thumping of rubber soles mixed within the static. _It really is absurd for them to constantly surround me in white..._

Then there was silence; creeping, indefinite, unbearable silence. The lock on the door clanked for what seemed like an eternity. It slowly receded open to reveal black. Black boots, black uniform, black eyes; a grin that could out evil the devil himself cast across his features. _I feel like they're missing the mark..._ My muscles tensed, and my blinking ceased. "_Steht auf_!" Suddenly my boots were on the floor, my back straight, and my gaze fixated on the wall behind them rigid with anticipation. "_Komm_ 103, we need your assistance in the...persuasion...of an _enemy_." Enemy; the word clicked like the snap of fingers. Enemies were to be dealt with, unfeeling, swift and deadly efficiency. _After all, white is the accumulation of all colors..._

The word was whispered like a curse among every suit of black we passed. The hallway long and winding like a cement labyrinth and every face that blinked past us either held disgust or fear. And once again the leather around my head captured my attention. "It is imperative, 103..." He glances back for emphasis, "...that you try and restrain yourself this time. We need this one alive unfortunately." There's a certain incredulous quality to his voice, and a lowering of the register as he adds, "...AND of course they wait till the last minute to want to use you. Even after you've been nothing but successful." The man's pride seemed to inflate little bit by little bit, how dare them not allow him to use his trained pet.

It hadn't been too terrible until now, the itch I mean. Back in the cell it was just a slight, albeit constant, scratching...but now is was clawing at my skull, the inside of my skin felt like it was being grated away layer after layer. A slight twitch had begun to occur in my hands. We stopped in front of a steel high security door, "now then 103, treat him nicely." A black gloved hand gripped the door handle as it unlocked, my eyes caught sight of the faded 27 above the door. I could feel the involuntary grin that split my face just as deviously as his had before, and the door slammed behind me..._that includes Red too..._

All coherent thought vanished and all that was left was a yearning. An undeniable need took control as I inspected the mangled creature in front of me. His body had been pushed to its limits...both arms leather clad to the chair he was in, legs as well...his face contorted in obvious pain as it hung toward the ground... I could feel my feet moving smoothly, almost graceful. My eyes focused on his down-turned head. My hand reached out, but caught itself midway as his head jerked up to look me in the eyes...

His swollen face was not pleading. It did not look fearful either. It held a defiance rather, and there was even a slight smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. I could feel those claws tearing out of me; out of my chest, my arms, my eyes... The slight shock on his face was what gave him away, his fear was evident then. It was then that a small part of my conscience surfaced, and I felt the urge to kill be snuffed out like the end of a smoked down cigarette. I was no longer taking in details of his weakness but looking straight at his eyes...straight into my own eyes. The flames that had been so quick to light across my arms died out even quicker.

There was a distant rumbling then...and the startled cries rang out from behind the door. Near ripping it off its hinges, He entered. Reluctantly followed by two more suits of black. "_Sehr_!" My back went rigid. His voice was strained, "looks like your stay here has come to an abrupt end League scum...103, arms!" My wrists shot out in front of me obediently as one of the other suits hooked chain cuffs to them. They did the same to my _enemy_ and preceded to lead us out a door I had never known to exist.

Darkness surrounded everything now. Until the rising staircase we had been traversing came to an end. _Outside?..._ How long had it been since I felt air so fresh...rain so clear... My legs locked and the black suit that been leading me nearly tripped over himself at the force of it. It was like time had frozen, and the cool air of the world had frozen me with it. The itching had stopped, I could no longer smell the heavy scent of leather...and my eyes for the first time in forever saw everything.

All became pleasant...until I saw the tiniest of movement to the left in my peripherals. _DangerTwoSpotEnemiesApproximatedThirteenFeetKILL. _The air tightened around me as the man who had been holding my _leash_, as well as He and another were tossed like trash into a nearby car. All at once they were close, _too close_. One of them ripped the sack off my previous preys head. The other pointed a gun toward me upon seeing their companions fault, "_Hey!"_ It was a female, her voice was harsh but had been directed at her companion. _Now now now now now..._

And just like that I was sprinting down a night-lit city street. The wild clatter of my chain a song on the night air. My breath a ragged heaving behind the tight and unforgiving leather on my face; and one word whispered on my own lips. My own voice furthering the confusion swirling around my every thought..._free._


	2. Chapter 2

Distant voices alerted me from my unconscious state. My eyes shot open and I could feel the unmistakable urge beginning to scratch at the back of my skin. An anxiousness filled the pit of my stomach. The frozen forest around me suddenly losing its peaceful apparatus. For two days I had been moving, and the lack of food and water had begun to shut my body down. However, even with the uneasiness I was feeling, a familiar emotion gripped my body as those voices inched closer. _Fear..._ A slight twitch started in my left shoulder, and the grin split across my face. The fear was making my heart race...making it evident it was time for the hunt... _I can't go back...I don't want to go back..._

The two men emerged into the clearing I had situated myself in. Startled looks gracing their features. I slowly rose from my prone position, my breathing ragged. "Is that...?!" His voice was short-lived. As both men reached for their guns I felt the itch become unbearable...and not long after that they were screaming. Screaming till their vocal cords gave out in pain...screaming until the flames...my flames...had burned them to ash.

I watched them burn. _Who knew that there was something that actually smelled worse than leather..._ It was only when the flames had died that a single word came to mind. "Humanity." And a 'tsk' of air left my lungs in disbelief. _What humanity? You haven't had humanity since that day... You know what they say though, "those living for death will die by their own hands..."_ I felt my feet begin moving, and once again I was running.

After a solid five minutes of running, I broke through the cover of the frost bitten woods. A small gas station sat abandoned in the snow. _Warmth..._ Moving slowly across the frozen ground, I found a more breach-able door around the back of the station. A couple of violent kicks later and the wooden thing had been slammed open. My chain skidded across the tiled floor loudly as I made my way inside. A few unclaimed candy bars and bags of chips dotted the floor and shelves. The weight of the chain hooked to the cuffs on my wrist and the tight straps of the leather on my face suddenly became infuriating.

Dejectedly, I settled on curling up behind the main counter. I surveyed my surroundings. A clock read 7:45, and judging by the light out it had to be morning. My stomach clenched painfully and a sigh escaped my shrouded lips. Time passed like an omen, that is, until the sound of tires on ice brought me back to reality. Shooting a glance up toward the sullen time-keeper, it read a clear 11:23... And then a single car door was slammed...

My breathing silenced and my ears tuned to hear the approach of feet in the snow. Yet, there was none. An unnerving feeling crept up like a beast in the dark as all the hairs on my body began to stand on end. That's when I heard it. A curt laugh that preceded a molasses smooth voice. "They treated you like an animal didn't they?" Every muscle tensed as my head snapped to the left to catch the voice's owner.

Altogether I was terrified and consumed by confusion. Terrified, because of the deep, dangerous brown of his irises. And confused, because of the sheer relaxed posture he held by leaning arms crossed on the counter. He was clothed in mildly formal attire; a button down shirt with dark gray dress pants. A smirk graced his features, "there's a tracking device attached to that unsightly contraption on your head..." At that point the fury must have been evident on my face because he straightened himself, and casually made his way around the counter. _Of course they would've had a way to find me..._

The urge to run was relentless. He outstretched a hand... After five minutes, and an unrelenting staring contest he sighed and that's when I felt it. A quick, grasping at the back of my skull...and my body had began to move to a standing position. _The hell?.. _He pulled a small black metal piece from his pocket and gently lifted my wrists toward him. _A key.._. The feeling in my head left as quickly as it came. The cuffs and chain hit the floor and soon after, the leather muzzle followed it; all the weight of the world had been ripped from my chest.

He waited patiently as I surveyed the indents on my wrists. Then allowed my eyes to meet his. "I can imagine your starving by now?" A glance at the direction of one standing shelved bag of chips was his received answer. He gave another short laugh, the sound controlled and airy, "would you like something to drink as well?" _I have a choice?.._ A small smile tugged at my face, and I followed my new found savior out into the snow ignoring the scratching at my insides.

The car ride was a new experience. He glanced over at my silent form every few minutes. "Can you speak?" The blunt nature of the question cause one of my eyebrows to shoot up. _Huh...so I can still form facial expressions other than those of a lunatic..._ My voice was rough from being unused, but there none the less. "Its been a while since anyone has actually needed an opinion or a choice from me, but I reckon I can still speak." A light southern accent blanketed every articulated word. Tense... No one has been within such close proximity with me for sometime.

"I understand this must be uncomfortable for you, bring in contact with someone else...especially someone the same age as yourself, who still has their sanity." _Same age?..._ His eyes glanced over at the end of his theory. He wasn't wrong, that much was for sure. A smile broke across his face, _hot damn...wait...what?_ "I'm sorry, it's just...you're so controlled for someone of your...abilities."

So that's what this is about. My eyebrows scrunched together accusingly and he immediately countered his previous statement, "you are more than that, more than an asset I mean...your a _survivor_ of non-humane treatment and mind degradation." The itch had returned full force; its incessant burning near scalding my body. The beast under my skin rolling around like a feral hound. He then added, "you're more important than those ignorant scientist and PSFs know. You're a rarity."

I could feel it then...it had been so long since I had been given a chance like this. The sarcastic smart-mouth underneath my forced apathetic gaze broke out like an accomplished magician. "Would you look at that?" I gestured out the window toward the passing, empty white landscape, "look at all the _fucks_ I give." He went tight-lipped and the laughter bubbled out before I could stop it. His smile returned, "I read that you had quite the vicious tongue back when they first brought you in to Leda Corporation's Georgia Lab."

My breath caught, _he read about me?..._ My gaze jerked to study his face, "you know of me?" He nodded, "quite a good bit actually, you're an intriguing one..." I looked to the floor board, my newly boot-clad feet suddenly unimaginably interesting. Five minutes had passed before I had decided to ask, "can you tell me?" A slight confused look crossed his brow, "tell you what?" An embarrassed undertone lined my voice, "about myself..."

His eyes cast a look of realization toward the frozen road. "You were under the _care_ of Leda Corp a solid four years..." "No, no...I mean, tell me about 'me." The smallest sign of surprise flashed in his eyes and disappeared afterward. "You're eighteen years old..." I nodded. "You're born and raised in North Carolina..." I swallowed... "Anything else?" My eyes were unblinking out the window, "...what's...what's my name?"

He cut a sharp look at me, and relaxed himself soon after. "Your name is Sarah Katherine Bailey. Files say you went by Katherine for the most part, 'Kat' for short..." I let my eyes meet his, "...Thanks." He gave a nod, followed by a smirk. His chocolate hair caressed his forehead as he tucked his chin slightly downward, "Can I ask you something, Katherine?" Then name rolled from his lips sweetly. And I waited silently for his next statement. "How do you feel about them, the PSFs I mean?"

_The black suits..._ I could feel the twitch settle in my muscles. Just thinking about them; the way they treated me like a pet...keeping me chained, using that damnable static to rip apart my brain when I "misbehaved." The grin took hold, and I saw his eyes widen the tiniest bit. "...I want to show them just how much of a _monster_ I can be..." He then shared my grin, and continued

"_...what if I told you I not only had a way of making the ones who hurt you pay, but a way to make every single damn one of them __pay__." _

His tone was unwavering and it caused a feeling to stir in my gut that I hadn't felt in forever. The burning flared, and I knew it was settled. The sheer ambition held by his tone, the unnatural confidence housed in his gaze... _He's cunning for sure...but he's still worth my trust..._ I leaned back, crossing my hands behind my head. This person; he found me, he saved me, and he trusted me enough to act so relaxed in my presence... "Cut the sweet talk darlin' and get to the point."

He shook his head, then shared a look of appreciation to my obvious relaxation in his presence. "Will you stand with me?"


	3. Chapter 3

"Clancy…" The male in question turned without hesitation, "Yes?" The burning was insistent. And _painful._ "How much longer must we stay here?" My head cocked sideways in a jerked motion referring to the room in question. A dingy, peeled back wallpaper, _single_ bed motel room wasn't exactly homely. _Then again, what home had you ever known besides those white walls._ I almost snarled at the condescending voice in my head. Clancy seemed amused at the obvious inner turmoil I was suffering from. "We've barely been here three days Katherine."

The role of my eyes was involuntary, and his short laugh was an expected response. For two weeks now I had been traveling with Clancy Gray. Clancy _fucking_ Gray… The prodigy child of our brilliant president. **And on top of that…** "_Three fuckin' days _Gray! I'm losing myself staring at a _lamp_!" Clancy stood and strode over to where my exasperation was palpable. **…He's **_**fuckin'**_** gorgeous…**

"I know it's hard for you to be in one place for too long; I know what it's like to be locked behind walls…" My jaw was clenched tight, and not even the stale smell in the air could distract me from the sincerity in those chocolate death traps. "…just hold out for a little while longer, I promise you that before dawn tomorrow – we'll head out. Ok?" _I might've been under lock from society for four years, but I had enough socialization beforehand to still have a sense of attraction._

All at once, the clawed beast beneath my skin began shredding at the layers in my muscles, and a blinding pain of a newly heated branding iron slammed into the back of my skull. _Notagainnotagainnotaggain…._ I could feel the change in the air; the simmering burn like embers in a nice heat across my entire body, the beast roaring in its new found freedom, and the fleeting image of a surprised Clancy flashed against my eyelids. "_Shit!_" I couldn't tell who said it; though I'm pretty sure I was gasping for air at the time.

And then…everything just…stopped. All that was left was a pleasant heat, though the air was ten degrees warmer than before. Everything was silent, except for the slightly ragged breaths stemming from Clancy's lips. After realizing this I also became aware of the incessant hand clasping into my mind. An invisible grip…_his grip…_ "Get out of my head _goddamnit_…" It came out as a whisper, but had the violent undertone of a trained killer. _Ironic isn't it…_ The invisible fingers lost their grip and eased out of my brain.

"Why does that keep happenin'?" My voice was choked as I tried to shake off the lasting feeling of Clancy's mind grip. "I speculate…" Clancy combed a hand through brunette locks, "…that considering your prolonged captivity and _conditioning_, your mind and body most likely are having a hard time adjusting to the new routine." Rubbing my temples I stood up slowly. Clancy glanced back from his position at the shrouded window incredulously, "although, a little warning next time would be nice Katherine…" "_Shut it._"

His eyebrows shot up, and he froze in place. A light steam rose off my skin; proof of the flames that had engulfed my being beforehand. "I wanted to know my name before…" His face relaxed as he turned his entire body toward me. "…that didn't mean call me by it now." Clancy tilted his chin back in consideration. "That name doesn't fit me anymore. I am not some normal human at this point; my _humanity_ was ripped from me. And your father's government tore me apart and put me back together again over…and _over_." His jaw tightened and his gaze became heavy.

"I don't care what you call me, but don't call me by that." The steam and heat had subsided and Clancy nodded in understanding. The carpet singed at my feet caused a grimace to break across my features. "Well then." Clancy lifted back the dirty curtain to glance at the desolate parking lot, "how bout we leave earlier than expected, I'd rather not be here when the owner receives the complaints about a burning smell…" A curt nod was my answer, and we gathered what we had and headed out. The clawing feeling returning to my skull once again.

"Damn it-" My voice was harsh and the southern lilt only intensified its intended affect. For what seemed like the thousandth time, I adjusted my position in the vehicle. Clancy sighed, "we're almost there, I know you must be coming apart at the seams by now…" Choosing to not respond due to the obviousness of the situation I casts my view on the heavily tree covered landscape. The beast hadn't let up, but I was holding out. Inside the car the light smell of leather lingered. _That's something I've certainly learned to live without…_


	4. Chapter 4

The air was crisp and dry. And the temperature surrounding the area was still uncomfortably frosty, though there was no snow on the ground here. I stretched, every tight limb providing a desperate fight against me after being forced to sit still for that long. Groaning, I turned to the brunette who was messing around with something in the trunk of the vehicle. "Hey, where the hell are we?'

Clancy took a step back and shut the compartment; a single back-pack in hand. "Well, we're right at the North Carolina state line…" My eyes narrowed at him as he held out the bag to me, "this is also where we part."

Everything stood still. The flames kicked up inside me by ten-fold. _**There's no way…**_ "…what?" His arm still outstretched, Clancy nodded. "I spent the last six hours of that drive explaining the current state of things to you for a reason, Ka-" Flames licked the air off of my being. Clancy cleared his throat, "…I need you as an insider. I need that information; I can't allow them to destroy us." His eyes were the most sincere I had seen them. There was no smirk, he didn't bother brushing the stray locks from his forehead, he simply raised the bag slightly higher and the flames died out.

"…" The cold was felt once again when I realized I'd be back on foot. _**Stop your whining, riding in that thing is going to make you soft…**_ I took the bag from him and turned slinging it on my back. There was a bird crying helplessly in the distance, no doubt being hunted by a much more dangerous predator. _**A beast.**_ It was at this point my eyes snapped open, I hadn't even realized I'd closed them. But there was a click…. There was a _snap._ As I glanced back at him.

Clancy's slight look of surprise is what gave him away. And in the next moment he held a satisfied smirk. "Can you read a ma-" "Yes." I turned to face him, a now rigid structure given to my posture. "You of all people should have an idea of the training they force us to do." Clancy nodded once more. There was a steadfast burning sensation making its way through my chest and spine. _**It's finally time for some action…**_ "Who is my target?"

My voice had changed. My sight was sharper. And I could swear Clancy was damn near grinning as he too realized every aspect of my being had clicked; reverting to the trained beast I had become. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket, and from that envelope a copy of what I had come to know as a 'skip-tracer' information page. The solitary picture of a girl printed on it; sullenly staring out at the viewer. "She's older than this photo now, and traveling with two other kids. You remember the false East River I told you about? Well that's where you'll find her." I took the paper from him and tore the photo off of it. Stuffing it away I Looked up at him one last time. "_I know my mission. I'll see you in Colorado._"

Tennessee wasn't as cold as the north had been. Or maybe my newfound clothes and purpose were keeping my blood heated. Or maybe the beast was simply content in knowing it once again had prey. The ground was covered in snow and I had ditched the car I had liberated from some unfortunate skip tracers a mile or two back. _**Ashes…ashes…**_ A twitch worked its way up my spine; I had never really noticed the voice in my head until I was free once again. Trudging forward, every movement had my limbs burning.

Clancy had warned me about the commune of blues I'd no doubt be up against. And after the numerous hours of history on the situation of things, he had explained that the 'leader' of this shit group I'd soon come in contact with was a bit of a "poser" as he put it. A cold burst of wind bit at my face, and the landscape was a scene of white. Sneaking my way under a small bridge I took notice of an army checkpoint in the distance. Thinking back, Clancy had reiterated more than a couple times that I couldn't be as unsociable with them as I normally was. They couldn't know I was a red. At least…not right away.

I thought over his words again and again. _"Keep your true color hidden as long as possible." Clancy gestured with his hand to emphasize his point, "and when push comes to shove, because you can be sure it will…" His eyes met mine, a cruel fire deep in them, "…then you use any means necessary to complete your objective."_ Memories were something new. And very welcomed. I notice a little more each time I socialize, the little quirks and facets of human nature. Whether it be when I burned those men to ash back north…or staring at Clancy while he drove the hours south.

I owe him my life. He might not have been the reason I escaped that faithful night, but I owed him for ultimately setting me free and then some for helping me get informed. _**Don't forget he's also the reason you even know your name…**_ "yeah…that too." My voice cut against the dry air. Looking up in the direction of the nearby city, I realized I was almost where I needed to be. I stretched and tilted my face up to revel in the feel of the snow falling from the sky, "looks like its show time."

And like the fleeting wind, I was off. Sprinting full force through the tree line. Everything blurred under the icy white of the snow. _White…_ The pounding of by boots was suddenly gone; all sounds of snapping branches, all smell and feel of the frozen weather lost. There was nothing left but the mission now… The mission… And the burning claws tearing at the back of my head.

Eyes focusing acutely on the nearing break in the woods, I sped up. And in the next moment, my world was turned upside down…literally. I hit the ground with more velocity than human and was brought to a miserable stop by the base of a large tree. Gasping for the air that had been stolen from me, my ragged breathing ceased at the ever familiar cocking of a gun. _**Play it off…**_ "Shivering" I glanced up stoically. _Damn facial expressions are hard…_ Before me stood a boy, bundled haphazardly and looking at least 17. "Get up." His voice was harsher than I thought he could manage, but I complied standing and making a point of putting my hands up in defeat, "watch where you point that thing, darlin'." "Shut up." He turned and shouted over his shoulder- _**Fucking imbecile, do you realize I could've killed you three different times by now.**_ "Found another one!"

(wow it's been a long time; sorry for anyone waiting. I'm finishing up my first year in college and should be writing more soon! Hope y'all enjoyed- Tigger out~)


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